Poplar Springs Seventh-day Adventist^® School

Scripture: (Exo 28:36 NKJV)  "You shall also make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet: HOLINESS TO THE LORD.

Observation: As part of the priestly garments, the high priest was to wear a breastplate with a stone for each of the twelve tribes of Israel, and a turban with a gold plate engrave with the words “Holy or Holiness to the Lord.”  The breastplate was significant in that “"Whenever Aaron enters the Holy Place, he will bear the names of the sons of Israel over his heart on the breast piece of decision as a continuing memorial before the LORD” (vs.29).  As to the gold plate on the turban, “It will be on Aaron's forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron's forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD” (vs.38).  God’s people were to be on the mind and over the heart of the high priest whenever he performed his ministry in the sanctuary.

Application: The role of the husband as the high priest of the family is also very significant.  His wife, his family, his children must be on his mind and in his heart every time he prays and every time he performs any act before God.  His words and actions toward his family must be guided not only rationally (the mind), but emotionally (the heart).

But there’s something else in the symbolism here which we must not overlook.  The words engraved on the gold plate attached to the turban – Holy to the Lord – is a call and a challenge to purity, to be separated from any influence that would distract or detract from service to Him, to refrain from any thought, word, or cation that according to His will or contrary to it.  Those words demonstrate a total, undivided commitment to God which, as a result, makes our commitment to our spouse stronger and more durable.  It was such commitment which kept Joseph from agreeing to Potiphar’s wife enticement to sin.  It was that commitment which kept Daniel praying, as he did before, in spite of the order to the contrary.  It was such commitment that kept Jesus faithful to His ministry all the way to the cross in spite of the actions of His people at the time and in the future.  It is such commitment we as husbands and wives are called to today, to be Holy to the Lord, and wholly our spouse’s.

A Prayer You May Say: Loving Father, today we dedicate and consecrate to You anew.  We want to be Holy to You and we want to be Wholly our spouse’s.  Strengthen us daily that this commitment we make today remain firm forever.

Used by permission of Adventist Family Ministries, North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists.